Relative environmental, economic, and energy performance indicators of fuel compositions with biomass

The present study deals with the experimental research findings for the characteristics of ignition (ignition delay times, minimum ignition temperature) and combustion (maximum combustion temperature, concentration of anthropogenic emission), as well as theoretical calculations of integral environmental, economic, and energy performance indicators of fuel compositions based on coal processing waste with the most typical types of biomass (sawdust, leaves, straw, oil-containing waste, and rapeseed oil). Based on the results of the experiments, involving the co-combustion of biomass (10% mass) with coal processing waste (90% mass) as part of slurry fuels, we establish differences in the concentrations of NO_x and SO_x in the gaseous combustion products. They make up from 36 to 218 ppm when analyzing the flue gases of coal and fuel slurries. Additionally, the values of relative environmental, economic, and energy performance indicators were calculated for a group of biomass-containing fuel compositions. The calculation results for equal weight coefficients are presented. It was shown that the efficiency of slurry fuels with biomass is 10%-24% better than that of coal and 2%-8% better than that of filter-cake without additives. Much lower anthropogenic emissions (NO_x by 25%-62% and SO_x by 61%-88%) are confirmed when solid fossil fuels are partly or completely replaced with slurry fuels.